How to Close a Wound on the Scalp

Because the scalp has many blood vessels close to the surface of the skin, a minor cut can take the appearance of a major wound. Being able to distinguish a wound that can be treated at home and a wound that needs immediate medical attention is especially important when it comes to the head. Many scalp wounds need stitches or tissue adhesive applied by a physician to close the wound. Minor scalp cuts can be dressed with adhesive bandages after cleaning.

Things You'll Need

• Latex gloves
• Gauze
• Clean cloth
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Adhesive butterfly bandages
• Water
• Antibacterial ointment

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Instructions

Stop Bleeding

• 1

  Examine the injury. Call the paramedics immediately if the skull is deformed (sunken, visible bone or brain) or if any blood or clear fluid is coming from the nose or ears.

• 2

  Wash your hands and put on latex gloves.

• 3

  Have the injured person sit in a comfortable position.

• 4

  Remove any visible objects from the wound.

• 5

  Press gauze or a clean cloth firmly against the wound for 15 minutes.

• 6

  Apply a second layer of gauze if the first one bleeds through.

• 7

  Continue to apply pressure in 15 minute segments (up to 45 minutes) if the wound continues to have minor bleeding when pressure is removed.

Clean and Dress

• 8

  Clean any dirt or debris from the wound with water and a clean cloth after the bleeding has stopped.

• 9

  Apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment to prevent infection.

• 10

  Push the edges of the skin together and secure with adhesive bandages.

• 11

  Cover with gauze and wrap the head firmly, but not tightly, with a clean cloth.

• 12

  Continue to monitor for signs of infection. Re-dress the wound every other day.